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The Wild Asparagus Hunters are Out and About

It´s that time of year. Cars parked in odd places, the solitary person - usually a man, popping up above a bank or from behind an olive tree. The hunters of the wild aparagus are here. The plentiful rain scattered with a day or two of sunshine has brought them out in droves. Some have their route, others instinctively know where to go. They appear, walking back to their cars, with a huge bundle of foot long green spears of asparagus. And off they go, probably not to be seen for another year - or another week if the rain continues. No matter how hard the shoots try and hide the older men hunt them down with stick in hand, to fob off the spiky old growth, and uncover the tender new stems of wild asparagus. Everyone has their favourite way of cooking them but the most common seems to be in a Tortilla - the thick Spanish potato omelette to which you can add anything that comes to hand - or is hunted down. My one or two shorter stem finds don´t come close to the experienced hunters catch. I...
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Andalucia's Gastro Markets - Cordoba, Granada and Malaga

Victoria Market or Mercado Victoria in Cordoba was the Andalucia's first gastro-market with almost thirty stalls serving freshly prepared and cooked food to order.


This is a fabulous way to 'tapear' literally a verb - to have tapas, or to try different international dishes. They range from Argentinian to Japanese, oysters to steaks or a very local one, Salmorejeria which serves umpteen different types of Salmorejo, one of my favourite dishes.


You can have one tapa from one stall and something else from another. Separate beer bars and wine bars serve drinks, eat near your chosen stall or there are plenty of tables both inside and outside. Chose the more sedate tables and chairs section or the noisier bar with music and tall tables.

Mercado Victoria

My second vist and hubby's first happened to be on Halloween. What did we have?

Prawns & Kingclip 



Bacon, Green Pepper and Quail egg on bread


Deep fried camembert with tomato jam and cheese and potato cake with ham & egg

And some very good chicken kebabs, one spicy and one with garlic which we obviously ate before taking any photos! All washed down with several beers and an excellent Lan Reserva at 4€ a glass.


About Mercado Victoria and When to Visit

Since opening in 2013 as a gastro market it has become extremely popular and now hosts many events, tasting and gastronomic competitions. The best time to visit for prices is Monday - Wednesday when very often a tapas + beer is 2€. Of course there is more atmosphere at the weekends and prices are higher.

It's opening hours are 9am - midnight Sunday - Wednesday and 9am - 2am Thursday - Saturday.

This beautiful forged metal structure from the XIX century was originally built in 1877 by the Circle of Friends as their base during the Feria de Cordoba, which at that time was held in the Jardines de la Victoria in the centre of town. Nowadays the much larger Feria is held on the outskirts of the city.


Gastronomy Markets in Andalucia

There are plenty of markets across Spain and Andalucia that are food markets with some eating stalls too such as Granada's Mercado de San Agustin on C/ Cuesta del Águila, covering five floors.

Mercado de San Anton, Granada

Malaga's Mercado Central now the new gastro market Mercado Merced is set to be a huge hit with 22 stalls at it's opening in Ocotber 2015. It's very central and near The Picasso Museum.

Where to Stay

There are plenty of options from hostals to 5* hotels in Cordoba. My favourite so far is the gorgeous Hotel Balcon de Cordoba. In Granada I like the old, quirky central Boutique Hotel Gar Anat and in Malaga the Hotel Castillo de Santa Catalina, not exactly central but a short walk out of town and up hill.





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